Switching Methane Detection Providers

Summary

Switching methane detection providers can feel risky. It’s an important decision; your compliance reporting, emissions reduction progress, and operational efficiency depend on that data. But with the right approach, making a change can also be a major step forward.

Whether you’re moving away from a legacy provider or migrating to an advanced detection technology for the first time, this guide outlines the key considerations to help you switch with confidence. 

Key Takeaways

• Switching methane detection providers goes beyond replacing a tool; it’s a chance to improve efficiency and accelerate your emissions reduction
• A structured evaluation process will help identify providers that align with your goals
• Asking the right questions up front will reveal gaps in capability, accuracy, and integration
• Prioritizing immediate usability and delivery timelines will reduce disruption to your LDAR programs
• Transitioning to aerial detection can unlock major gains in coverage, detail, and scale
• Your new provider should deliver emissions data you can act on from day one
  
  

Why Do Operators Switch Providers in the First Place?

Switching methane detection providers is often done out of necessity. We hear from operators who:

• Outgrew the capabilities of their current provider
• Need faster data turnaround to meet internal timelines
• Want to move from ground crew scans that can miss emissions to scans with continuous spatial coverage across broad asset bases
• Struggle to get actionable insights from their current reports which lack detail
• Are navigating regulatory or reporting frameworks like OOOOb or OGMP 2.0 and need additional support

No matter the reason, the switch is always an important move. But it’s also an opportunity to re-evaluate what you need from a detection partner and reset expectations for what’s possible. 

In this blog, we’ll walk you through high-level steps for getting started. You’ll find out what to look for in a new provider, the most important questions to ask prospective partners, and what you should expect from the actual transition itself. 

If you’re ready for a detailed, step-by-step approach for evaluating potential providers, check out How to Evaluate a Methane Detection Partner.

What Do I Look for in a New Detection Provider?

Switching providers means taking a hard look at the details for detection capabilities, scanning efficiency, data delivery speed and more. In initial discussions, make sure to get a clear understanding of:

• The emission rate detection sensitivity capabilities (including the probability of detection)
• The technology’s ability to discern intermittent versus persistent emissions
• Emissions quantification capabilities
• Spatial accuracy (e.g. site-level or down to the equipment-level)
• How many sites per day or miles of pipeline per day can be scanned
• Data delivery speed for alerts and full datasets
• Ease of integration with your internal systems
• Reporting transparency and auditability

And perhaps most importantly: Will the data they provide be useful across operations, compliance, and ESG reporting?

Ready to go further on this? We dig deeper into these topics in Emissions Data You Can Act On.

What Other Logistical Questions Should I Ask Before Switching Detection Providers?

Don’t even think about switching methane detection providers without getting clear answers to critical logistical questions, or you’ll face onboarding challenges or downstream delays when it’s time to use the data in reporting. 

Before signing on with a new provider, ask about:

• Their regulator approval status
• Third-party validation of their detection and accuracy capabilities
• Support during onboarding, especially for large asset portfolios
• How they handle data security and access, including with direct data integration
• Flexibility to adjust detection sensitivity and scan frequency as an emission reduction program evolves

To get even better prepared, explore the full list in 7 Questions to Ask New Emissions Vendors.

What Does a Frictionless Transition Look Like?

Switching methane detection providers doesn’t have to be disruptive. With the right partner, the transition can be seamless. 

Look for:

• Minimal operational disruption
• Compatibility with existing workflows
• Access to onboarding support and field coordination
• Clear handoff procedures from previous data sources
• Flexible data formats that avoid platform lock-in

We unpack these ideas more in Frictionless Methane Monitoring: What It Looks Like and How to Get It.

Considering Aerial Detection for the First Time?

If part of your provider switch includes transitioning from handheld or OGI-based detection to aerial LiDAR methane monitoring, your change isn’t just a new vendor, it’s a new method.

We’ve helped operators make this leap across upstream, midstream, and downstream operations. It requires planning but brings significant benefits, including:

• Comprehensive coverage of hundreds of production facilities or hundreds of miles of pipeline in a single scan
• Repeatable methodology for consistent benchmarking
• Detection sensitivity that’s customizable for your goals
• Datasets complete with equipment-level localization and emission rate quantification
• Advanced analytics that provide insight into emission source, type, and location trends

Learn more about the switch to aerial detection in Migrating to Aerial Methane Detection: A Step-by-Step Guide.

What Happens After You Switch

The success of your new detection program depends on more than a contract. 

It depends on:

• Getting data you can act on
• Having access to support when questions come up
• Integration that doesn’t slow you down
• Confidence in the numbers you report

At Bridger, we deliver emissions data with precision and context—so operators can make confident decisions from day one. Our onboarding process is streamlined. Our analytics packages are integration ready. And our reports are built for the teams that actually use them.

Thinking about switching providers? Request a demo to see how Bridger makes the transition worth it.